Fruit pitting and coring mechanism



A. DUNCAN 1,785,007

FARUIT FITTING AND CORING MECHANISM Filed May 14, 1927 6 Sheets-heet l Dec. 16, 1930.

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Syvum/toc 607% MNM Mw i M Dec. 16, 1930. A. DUNCAN FRUIT FITTING AND CORING MECHNISM` Filed May 14, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 MMU/ vm Ih/vento@ m www Elftown Dec. 16, 1930. A. L. DUNCAN 1,785,007

FRUIT FITTING AND CORING MECHANISM Filed May 14, 1927 6 vSheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 16, 1930. A'. DUNCAN FRUIT FITTING AND CORING MECHANISM Filed May 14. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 70.5 99. 6 9 jdd' w l a ggf I ?T zw 1'@ 7 l 4 I I 2g? 616105 o l 4@ i A@ l ,p

Dec. 16, 1930. A. L. DUNCAN FRUIT FITTING AND CORING MECHANISM Filed May 14, 1927v 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dea 15, 1930. A. L. DUNCAN FRUIT FITTING AND CORING MECHANISM Filed May 14. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 16, 1930 y unirse@ sra'rss i? Minnie L., DUNCAN, or PInnMoNT, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

figonacinrc MACHINERY CQMPANY., or saNFRaNCrsco, caninos,ruina` eenmaa- 'nroN QF CALIFORNIA` p Application iled May 14,

. 1926; More particularly lthe inventionrelates to pitttingIand coring apparatus for` the handling of single stone fruit, and especially adaptedjor pittingV clingstone peaches.

As fully pointed out in the copending application aboveid'entified, of which this case is a-continuation in-part, and for reasons there given, a practical peach pitting machine must be inherently capable ofradapting itself to pits ofl varying sizes located at diifering positions in peaches of the same external dimensions, andlinpeaches ofrwidely varying external sizes. The variations encountered in actualpractice are fully pointedout in said copending.' applicationv and need not bev repeated here.

The prima-ry object vvof thisA invention is* to providev a pitting or coringmachine-that is even more'adaptable to effcientlyremove pits of Widely varying sizes and locations in peaches of diering sizes lthan that disclosed in said copending application.

A further object ofthe inventionis to pro vide animproved means to actuate the pitting knives and pittingjavvs thattendsto maintainr said=knives and jaws in operative position during the subsequent rotary movement of the knives. 'Y AV further object of the invention `is to provide an improved means to cause actua.- tion ofv a gauge that determines the position oi the fruit atrthe end, ofthe predetermined path provided toguide it to themachine. l

A `further object is to provide a readily ac!V cessible means to adjust the position or said gauge for various kinds of fruit.

A further obj ectrofr the invention is to provide a Anovel, means to automatically cutoi the supply of air used to clear themachine of the -fruit halves.

A still further objectV of invention is `V to provide groove forming andguiding plates that, provide substantially `continuous out guide surfaces and thatfserve' to house the fruit engaging avvsl yand pitting knives fvvhen.

. portion. of the .same cam.

. E Ruirr'r'rme AND ConINe MECHANISM 1927,; serial No. 191,334.

saidlast named ition. v

A; stillifurther obj ect of the Ainvention is to partsare in inoperative po- Vprovide a facile manner of adjusting the Widthfo the path, provided between the relcess?forming blades for the pit of the fruit.

' Still further objects Willv appear as the description proceeds With reference to the accompa-nying drawin s.

further. objects o the-inventionV are such asV mayy be. attained by a 'utilization` of the various. combinations, subcombinations and principles. hereinafter setforth and as de- Vlined by the terms of the appended claims.

frs shown in the dravvings-H i a; preferred embodiment of my invention.

AFigure 2-is aperspective view of the form of. invention shown 1n Figurel asI viewed` Figure 6 :is a sectionalvievv taken alongrline V 6-.-.6 oiiFigure 11 showing the driving,ratchet.`

Figures '7. and8 arevdetailed plan and side,

viewsshowing the gauge plates. 4

FiguresA 9 and: 10 shoiv'the main shaft.: in

sectionA and side elevation. `Y

Figure 11 isa side elevation; of" the main port-ion. ofthe upper knife guiding cam.

FigureV 12. isla Aside elevation Figurefl is aside elevation offoneo'f; the jaw. holders andslides.v d i Y Figurelll'isa detailvi'e'woff'the toggle con-A necting link.

Figures 15; and? 16 areV end and, sectional views respectively of the maincamv and the sleeve carriedsthereby. l v

Figuresl'; and 18 are side elevations of the bracketv used to'conne'ct the gauge rod to its operating mechanism.

` ,Figurer-19 is a detail sectional View through thenpper jawjand its. guide casting shoW-v ing tliegeneral arrangement offtheairducts.

Referringto Figures 1J and Q the numeral liindieatesa: basev castingto whichv the l,bearing kbracket'21isHs-xcured by, means .of cap e5; Figure 1 isa sectional.;elevationv showingV of the other screws .3. Secured to base casting is a. casing section 4 (Figure 1) in which worm 5 is disposed. Term 5 is rigidly secured to and driven by a drive shaft 6 which is supported in bearing 7 (Figures 2 and 3) of the sup- .iorting bracket 8 secured to the base 1 by cap screws 9. Power is transmitted to the drive shaft 6 from a suitably driven pulley 10 through a friction clutch coupling said pulley and shaft together as more fully described in my copending application Serial No. 146,754 filed November 6, 1926.

Meshing with and driven by the worm 5 isV an assembly consisting of a worm ring gear 11 secured to a hardened sleeve 12 provided .vith a bushing 13. Said assembly is journaled for rotation on the sleeve 14 constituting a part of the main cam of the machine to be later described. Around the face of sleeve 12 a series of spaced clutch holes 15 are formed. Projection or pin 16 of a sliding clutch member 17 is adapted to fit into holes 15. Clutch member 17 (see Figure 5) is mounted in a suitable bore formed in clutch disk 18 which in turn is keyed to and drives the sleeve 14. Arranged in a suitable recess in disk 18 and between projection 19 on member 17 and the end of said recess is a coil spring urging member 17 toward sleeve 12. Member 17 has a notch or groove 2O provided with an inclined cam wall 21. lith the end 16 of clutch pin nested in one of the holes 15, a driving connection is established between the gear 11 and the clutch disk A18. Side wall 21 of groove 20 is positioned in a clutch pawl groove 22'formed in the periphery of the clutch disk 18. Normally resting in the groove 22 is a beveled cam end 23 (Figures 1 and 4) of the clutch pawl 24. Clutch pawl 24 is secured to a shaft 25 ournaled in brackets 26 supported on base 1. (See Figure 4). Shaft 25 is provided with an arm linked to the lever 27 pivoted at 28 to the frame of the machine. Lever 27 is provided with actuating hand plate 29 positioned to be conveniently engaged by the hand of an operator immediately after a fruit is in position to be cored as will more 'fully hereinafter appear. A suitable spring may be connected between the clutch pawl 24 and the base casting 1 to hold the beveled end 23 of the pawl 24 normally in position in the groove 22 of the clutch disk 18.

Sleeve 14 is j ournaled for rotation on hollow main shaft 30. Mounted on main shaft and secured thereto by key 31 (Figure 6) clutch disk 18 (see Figure 1). Pawl 35 is provided with an extension 40 which is adapted to engage the upper end of throwout latch 41 (Figure 6). Latch 41 is secured on an extension of rear bearing bracket 42 by means of securing stud 43. An adjusting stop screw 44 threaded in an extension 45 of the bearing bracket 42 is provided for latch 41. By adjusting stop screw v44 and thus shifting latch 41 the point in the cycle of operations at which the extension 40 of pawl 35 will engage the end of the latch 41 may be varied.

Bearing bracket 42 is secured to base casting 1 by means of the cap screws 46, and formed at the upper part of the bracket is a journal 47 provided with a bushing 48 in which the main shaft 30 is journaled for rotation. Keyed on a reduced cylindrical eX- tension 49 of disk 32 by means of key 50 (Figure 1) is registering disk 51 provided with diametrically opposite stop notches 52. Secured to and pivotally supported from member 53 attached to bracket 42 by means of the pivot pins 54 are registering latches 55 which are provided with registering eXtensions 56 adapted to fit into the registering notches 52 and thereby locate shaft 30 in normal position. Helical s rings 57 are interposed between adjusta le abutments 58, threaded in brackets 59 secured to member 53, force the extensions 56 toward the notches on the periphery of the registering disk 51.

Main shaft 3() has formed integrally with the inner end thereof a head'GO slotted or bifurcated to form a central guide slot 61 (Figures 1, 9 and 10) against the sides of which a pair of slidable gauge plates 62 are guided. (Figures 1, 7 and 8). Gauge plates 62 are secured by suitable means 63 to a member 64 having a cylindrical body 65 that is slidably mounted in an enlarged bore 66 of hollow main shaft30. Said body has a forward projection 67 to which the gauge plates 62 are secured. Member 64 is bored axially as shown at 68 for a purpose presentr ly to bedescribed and is provided with a tubular operating rod 69, the bore of which registers with the bore 68 of the member 64. As Clearly shown in Figures 2 and 7, the gauge plates 62 are provided with inwardly turned ends 70 to provide abutments of substantial width for the fruit.

Slidably supported in the bifurcation 61 of head 60 of shaft 30 and guided for reciprocation between the gauge plates 62 are knife holders 71. Secured to the knife holders 71 by cap screws 72 are the cam guide blocks 73 (Figure 1). Guide blocks 73 are mounted in cam grooves 74 of the sectional cam guides 75 and 76. Cam guides 75 and 76 are substantial duplicates, the one being the reverse ofthe other so that together they form an endless cam guide groove 74 through which the'bloclis 73 move and thus determine the path of bodily lmovement of the knife holders 71. One of the cam guides,"A

the upper one, is shown in detail in Figures 11 Vand 12; It comprises two members, a`

body member 77 Aand cover nieinber78, theV cam guide 7 6 contains fa matching recess, as

will be readily understood (see Figurel);V

Member 7 7 is provided with one-half Aofcani guide groove 74, which as shown in Figures 11 and 12 is not circular, but is made slight- 4 lyelliptical so that the knife. holders will? follow an elliptical path for apurpose hereinafter described. An inwardly projecting Y shoulder v8O on member 77 and asimilar shoulder 81 on cover member 78 provide a cam groovethat embraces the cam block 73 on all' sidesV and firmly supportsthe knife blocks 71 path conforming generally to the curvature of the pit -to be removed.v In varieties of` fruit having pits substantially circular in transverse section,'a cam vwith a circularV groove 74 may beutilized, whilewitli fruit.

having flattened. sides, groove 74 mayV be shaped to cause blocks 73 to` follow apath of varying radius to cut an oval or elliptical shaped .core from the fruit to be cored.

ing liavinga body portion 87 and an extenf.

Cam members 75 and 76gare secured to jaw. holders 84 whichfare recessed to receive jaws .85. Jaw holdersg84 (Figure 1) are secured to caminembersb and 7 6 by meansofsuitable cap screws 86. JawsS are of'a suitable width tonenter an annular grove orchannel formed in vthe fruit to be pitted. One, the upper, jaw hcl-der 84 is shownfin detail in Figure 13. 1t is, preferably,ahollow castsicnSS forattachmentto the cam guide' as above stated;

" cured to the base 1 of the machinef rods 9.4 (Figures 2, 3 and 4)1wliicli arei rigidly secured to and mounted in bores 93 on the lower member 76. Rods 94.main tain members 7 5 and 76 in alignment;

j The jaw` holders .84 are bored ve Y The outer surfaces of the. jaw holders 84f and 85 are linished'and areV arranged to slide in. castings 89 and 90` selucani s receive sleeves 97 each` of which isprovided with a shoulder 98 arranged to, servel as a stop4 to limit the movementof the sleeve` in one direction. externally to` receive a nut 9.78. A coil spring V99 surrounds eachl sleeve and abuts against nut 98 and a shoulder formed byrecessing the body 87 of holders 84 as shown at 100 (Figure 1).` It will be apparent thatv the tension of coil springs 99 may be adjusted by manipulation of nuts .98.

Each sleeve is bored axially as shown at 101 `and tapped to receivetlie threaded shank of `a member 102. Theholders 84ers caused toreciprocate toward and from each other by levers 103 and 104 pivoted to frame castings 89 and 90 at 105 between their ends and linked by means ef links 106 to menibers102 at one end cf each of said levers 103 and 104. The other ends of eacli of said levers` are connected by means of links 107, to' the long arms 108 of a pair of bell crank levers shown inV detail in Figure 14.v Thislink is a box like structure open at its center as shown at 112 so that the main shaft 30 andA theV camshaft presentlytovbe described may freelypasstlierethrouglr .Link 111 is provided witli two pairs of spaced ears 113 betweenA which arms of bell crank levers 109 are pi'voted by` means of pins 114. Link 111 is bored as shown atl-15 to receive the securing end ofI a stud` 11.6 on which is mounteda camrollerll' (see Figure 1). Y

Cam roller 117 rides in a cam. groove 118 in main cam 119 shown in detail in Figures V15 and 16. Cam 11'9hastubular or sleeve likeextensiens 120. and. 14, before referred to, and` saidcam and extensions are sleeved on main shaft 30 as shown in Figure 1.`

Sleeve14 is provided` with aV keyway 121 to receive the key by which the main; cani isl caused to movewith the clutch disk 18vbefore.

referred to.

Formed in the to fit intoV a channel or-recess formed ina fruit to be pitted, and are provided with outwardly beveled cutting edges.

formed in the upper oneV of.l the jaws Strand` holder84 and atrthe top of this boie is a shown at. 95g`and 96, (Figure 1) to slidablyv Each sleeve 97. isthreaded` knife-holders 71 are suitable rectangular recessesadapted to receive the,

Y j Knives 123 are preferably inadeofyieldable spring steel and are so positioned that they nor- It will be noted that knife holds ice threaded section in which long adjustable stop screw 127 is threaded.

Operating rod 69 for gauge plates 62 passes axially through the hollow main shaft 30 and is provided with an internally threaded guiding sleeve 126 adjustably hreaded thereon and locked in position by a lock nut 127. By this means the position of the gauge plates 62 when in operative position may be readily adjusted in accordance with the size or" fruit operated upon. Sleeve 126 has a guiding extension 128 slidably mounted in an enlarged bore in main sha-ft 3() as clearly shown in Figure 1, and is provided with a groove 129 to receive the fork 130 of an operating member 131 provided with bore 132 (see Figures 17 and 18) that receives the end of an operating rod 133. screw 134 holds the parts in assembled relation. Rod 133 is bent at an angle as shown at 135 and provideed with a bifurceted bracket 136 that is secured to the long arm 108 of lower bell crank lever 109 (see Figure 1) between the ends thereof, by means of a pin 137.

Means are provided for clearing the ma chine of the fruit halves and the core after the rentral core has been severed from the pulp, and to remove particles of pulp which tend to adhere to the mechanism. r1`he rod 69 is made in the form of a tube that registers with a bore 68 of member 64 as before pointed out. The inner end of the bore 68 is disposed immediately back of the knife holders so that a compressed air blast or other fluid from the pipe will force the core from between the knives 123 and will clear the machine of adhering pulp as will more fully hereinafter appear. For this purpose a source of air pressure may be connected to the end 138 of rod 69 by any suitable-connection.

In order to insure the removal of the pulp halves from between the jaws 85 after the reg moval of the core, an air blast is directed laterally from the jaw sides. To accomplish this result an air conduit 139 having lateral passaffes 140 is provided in jaw 85 (Figure 19). assage 139 communicates with a passage 141 in slide 84 that in turn communicates with a vertical passage 142 leading to a passage 143 that has a wide mouth 144 in the side of the slide 84. A conduit 145 in casing 90 is secured in position so that its inner end registers with mouth 144 when the jaw 85 is in operative position. Conduit 145 may be Vconnected to any suitable source of light air pressure. 1t will be observed that move ment of the slide 84 toretract the jaws shuts olf the flow of air to conduit V144, the slide acting like a slide valve to close the mouth of conduit 145. Suitable face plates 146 and 147 are secured on opposite sides of casing 90 and project inwardly into engagement with jaw 85. It will be understood that the jaw 85 moves inwardly between these plates when it is retracted and said plates likewise serve to shut olf the flow of air through conduits 140. The mouth 144 of conduit 143 is made wide so that air will flow to the jaws in all positions of the stop screw 127 before referred to. The lower jaw may be provided with a similar arrangement to remove the pulp halves from the machine by an air blast, if desired.

The fruit to be cored is guided into posi tion between the jaws and pitting knives by means that form a circumferential recess in the peach inthe plane of the suture of the pit. This -means comprises an upper bracket 148 supported from casting 90 and a lower bracket 149 secured to base casting 11 by cap screws 150. For pitting high grade fruit upper feed blade structure is preferably composed of two blades 151 separated slightly from each other but secured together to move as a unit. Blades 151 are provided with cut ting edgis 152 and 153 preferably at right angles to each other, the edges of which are inclined outwardly away from the space between the blades causing the pulp of the fruitto be slightly wedged apart as the circumferentialV groove is formed. Blades 151 are mounted to swing vertically on parallel links 154 and 155 pivoted to the bracket 148 by means of pins 156 and to blades 151 by means of pins 157, fr. spring 158 is disposed in a swinging yoke 159 pivoted to bracket 148 by means of pins 160. Spring 158 is arranged on a member 161 that has a bifurcated head 162 pivotally secured' to link 155 by pin 163, and said spring is arranged between said head and the top of yoke 159. Member 161 is threaded at the end opposite head 162 and passes loosely through the top of yoke 159. Nuts 163 serve to provide an adjustable abutment, whereby the limit position of the links 154 and 155 and the blades 151 may be readily adjusted for various size pits, if desired.

Thelower blade structure is likewise preferably composed of two spaced blades 164 secured together to move as a unit for pitting high grade fruit and it too has outwardly beveled cutting edges 165 and 166 parallel to the cutting edges of the upper structure blade. Bla-des 164 swing on a horizontal line on parallel links 167 and 168 pivoted at their lower ends to the bracket 149 by means of pins 169 and at their upper ends to the blades 164 by means of pins 170. A coil spring 171 interposed between suitable projections of bracket 149 and blades 164, yieldingly maintains the lower blade structure in position. 1n case it is desired to eliminate the yielding act-ion of the blades, suitable holes 172 may be formed in the supporting brackets and blades through which securing pins 173 may be passed to hold the blades rigidly in the desired relation and a relative adjustment of the blades in fixed positions to vary thesize of the pit passageway is permitted.

' 181 from xits upper edge.

Gauges 174 and 175l are arranged between the sets; of blades 151 Vand 164 to transversely cut and remove the narrow strip of the peach thatl enters between the blades 4of each set. Suitable openings may be provided in the blades of each set4 adjacent the gauges to permit the discharge of the portions of the an nularstrip removed during the feeding operation. `referably the openings are cut in one blade only so as not to provide a ledge upon which the strips Vcan collect. When handling lowergrades of fruit the blades may be made solid and the groove in the pulp formed solely by a wedging; action in obvious manner without removing a slice. A s clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4 the lower 'blades 164 are continued toward the pitting head as shown in 176 to a point adjacentfthe pitting head.` n Lower fjaw retreats between said blades. It will beobserved that this arrange vment provides asmooth guiding surface for the fruit so that it may be readily guided-into position between the jaws. It will also be observed from the` same figures that face plates 146 and 147 are in substantialV alignment with upper Vblades 151-for the same purpose. .Substantially discontinuous guidingfsurfaces are thus providedl cooperating with the groove `forming knivesrorblades 151 and 164 to guide the .fruit tov the coring station.

, Atip remover isprovided' adjacent the path :j ofthe peachbetwejen blades 151 and 164 which includes `a frame 177pivotedtoa 'projection of frame'149`by means Aof vpin 178.v A `sprii'ig 179between frame 177 urges thel frame forwardly againstthe end wall of an opening 180 in which frame 177 rides. The

upper end of frame179 is, curved rearwardly 123 and jaws 85 are normally open. Gauges' 62 are in forward position. i A peach to be pitted is insertedl in the channel between the blades 151 and 164with the tip vtoward the operator as shown in Figure 1, and with the f plane of the suture of the'pit ofthe peach indicated by a'crease'on the outside o-f the fruit, substantially in the vertical central Vplane of the blades.,V The operator then forces the peach downardly between they blades removing the tip and cutting vertical kerfs in the of the fruit` halves.

ends of the peach inl they plane; of the suture, ofthe pit; If the pit is larger'than the space between theblades 151 and 164, blade 164 yields swinging in a horizontal plane on links 167v and 168 against the action' of spring 171. The operator moves the peach to the end o-f the vertical branch' ofthe `path between blades 151 and 164, and then moves it bodily in a horizontal direction between the blades until the stem endof the pit engages the endsV of gauge plates 62. At thispoint in the opv eration,a circumferential channel, recess, or

groove' has been formedaround the peach in the plane of the suture of the pit and the pulp halves are slightly wedgedE apart and the peach is in position forthecutting out ofthe pit withthe suture of thepit between knives- 125 and the inner edges of jaws85 in thet channel in the fruit .pulp. The hand plate 29- ofclutch control lever 27 is 'in position to Y be engaged ,conveniently'byfthe Yhand of the operator after` he or she completes the movement of the peach in the' horizonal direction.` j

As the movement ofthe peach is completed ,plate 29 is depressed rocking leverv27 and shaft 25. This movement of shaft 25- rocks the upper end of pawl 24` outward freeing pin 17 for movement underlthe influence of its spring and causing projection 16 to entera hole 15 causing rotation of sleeve j14.. The end 34 of ypawl 35-is normally not in engage-` ment'with one of the teeth`33 on ratchet 32 keyed to the main'shaft 30, but is between the teeth. Accordingly, the'main shaft 30 does, not turn immediately, but the sleeve 14 rotates through part of a revolution before'the main shaft vis broughtlintooperationand rotates cam119 shifting connecting link 111i outward land the bell crank levers 109 andthe parts connected thereto to Athe position of parts sho-wnin Figure 1. Y As the toggles formed by long arms 108 of the bell cranks and links 107 straighten, holders 82 are brought together l and due to the action of springs 99 yieldingly closes jaws 85 and V4knives 125 firmly about the suture of the pit Movementof jaws 85 and knives 123 inwardly through rod 133 connectedto long arm of the' lowervv bell crank lever causes withdrawal of the gauges 62 so that when the pitting knives are rotated, the

ends ofthe gauges will not mutilate the edges In this way the Vjaws and knives automatically adjust themselves toA accommodate varying diameters of pits and at the same time center thefruit pit within-the compass of the knives 125. VVVhen the jaws are closed theyiirmly press the knives aboutV the suture of the pit preventing distortion of the knives due to their flexi-` bility, and they also serve to support the flesh of therpeach immediately adjacent theline ofthe cut, so that clean cut edges ar produced.

After Vthe completion of the above operations, pawl end 34 carried on sleeve 14 engages one of the teeth on ratchet 32 resulting in the rotation of the main shaft 30 and pitting` knife holders 72 with knives 123 through half a revolution. Guides 73 moving in cam grooves 74 (Figure 11) determine the shape of a central core including the whole pit that is cut from the fruit just before a half revolution of shaft 30 is completed, and without knives 123 crossing the'plane of the suture of the pit starting the cutting operation. Cam grooves 74 are preferably shaped to force the knives 123 to follow a path that corresponds approximately to the shape of the pit sides to eliminate the waste of desirable pulp portions that occurs when the knives follow a true circular path in pitting` fruit with pits non-circular in transverse section. After the completion of a half-revolution of shaft 30, lug 440 of pawl 35 engages the end of throwout latch 41 and end 34 of pawl 35, thus serving to-disconnect shaft 30 from rotating sleeve 14; At the same time registering latch projection 55 engages a notch 52 on registering disk 51 of shaft 30, serving to hold shaft 30 in position for the next operation. Compressed air from openings 140 of upper jaw 85 blows the pulp halves outward, and continued rotation of sleeve 14 actuates cam 111 to break the toggle consisting of arms 107 and 108 to thus separate holders 75, together with jaws 85 and knives 125. As the parts separate, Vfluid or air under pressure from central pipe 138 blows the core from between the knives' and clears the knives and jaws of adhering juices and Ypulp,'keeping the machine clean and in sanitary condition. It will also be noted that as the'jaws are retracted the movement of the slides 84 that carries them throws the air port 144 in the slide out of registry with port 145 (Figure 17) thus shutting off the flow of air. At the same time outlet ports 140 retreat between plates 146 and 147 providing a further cut o for the air flow. Y

In case the pitting knives 123 encounter an obstacle suchv as an unusually large pit, the friction clutch 14 will slip permitting the knives to stop and avoiding knife breakages. In such a Vcase the machine is cleared of the abnormal peach if necessary. After the machine is cleared, the friction clutch will again drive the shaft 6 and the mechanism until the revolution of clutch disk 18 is completed whenwall 21 of pin 17 will engage the cam end 23 of pawl`24 positioned in groove 22 by the action of a suitable spring. This will shift pin 17 to the left in Figure 1 disengaging projection 1G from the hole 15 and the parts will come to rest with knives 123 nested in recesses 124vof jaws 85 and the parts open to receive the next fruit to be cored. In this way it will beA seen that each time hand plate 29 is actuated a complete cycle of operation occurs and at the end of each cycle the parts come torest.

While the invention has been above described in great detail, it should bennderstood that it is not restricted, to such details which may be varied widely without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the scope thereof is to be determined from the terms of the following claims.

Having described preferred embodiments only of the invention, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent, and claimed as new is:

1. A fruit coring machine comprising means to form a recess in the flesh of the fruit and to guide the fruit in a substantially predetermined path toward a coring station, a gauge to position the fruit at said coring station, rotatable coring means, mechanism operating in timed relation to withdraw said gange and to then position and rotate said coring means to remove the core, said mechanism including elements to vary the operative position of said gauge.

2. A fruit coring machine comprising rotatably mounted coring means, movable means to hold the fruit in position during the coring thereof, a movable gauge to predetermine the position of the fruit, and mechanism operating in timed relation to successively withdraw said gauge, move said holding and coring means intoposition, and to then rotate said coring means, said mechanism including element-s to adjust the operative position of said movable gauge.

A fruit coring machine including a frame, slides mounted 4in said'frame, fruit holding means carried by said slides, a rotatable coring head, a coring knife carrier slidably mounted in said head, and guides carried by said slides and connected to said carriers to predetermine the path of movement of said carriers, knives securedto said carriers, .and mechanism to reciprocate said slides and to rotate said head in timed'relation and in succession.

4. A fruit pitting machine including oppositely moving means to hold the fruit during theV pitting operation, elements to predetermine the path of movement of the pitting elements attached to said means, and mechanism to move said means and elements into position and to hold it in position during the operation of the pitting elements comprising toggle links that are arranged so as to be substantially in alignment` when said means are in operative position.

5. A fruit pitting machine icomprising oppositely slidable means to hold the fruit during the pitting operation, elements to predetermine thepath of movement of the pitting elements attached to said means, avrotatable pitting head, knife carriers slidable insaid head and including elements toconnect them with said oppositely slidable means, mechanism to operate said last named means and said head in vtimed relation; including liltl pairs of toggle links and a unitary element to simultaneously cause each pair of links to extend substantially in a straight line when said oppositelyslidable means are in operative position. j

6. A peach pittingfmachine including oppositely movable fruit holding jaws arranged to move into position to hold the Vpeach dur-Al j said frame, jaws carried by said slides, levers pivoted to said frame between their ends and connected to said slides at one end, a pair of bell crank levers pivoted on the frame, one arm of each of said levers being connected i to the other end of each of'said first named levers, means coupling the other arms of said l movement and mechanism to operate said last named means. Y j Y 8. A peach pitting machine comprising a pair of jaws arranged to Vhold the peach in position during the pitting operation, andV spaced blades arranged to guide the'pit ofv the peach to a position between said jaws and to form a recess in theflesh thereof7 `and additional guide plates arranged on opposite sides of said jaws to house the jaws, said last named plates being arranged substantially in alignment with said blades whereby l substantially continuous guide surfaces are pr0- vided.

9. A peach pitting machinev including a'V pair of aws, a pair of pitting knives, means to move said jaws and knives toward each other to cause them to embrace the pitgof a peach, and spaced guide plates on opposite sides of said jaws and knives between which said jaws and knives recede when they'are in inoperative position. Y

10. A peach pitting machine comprising a frame, jaws slidably mounted in said frame, pitting knives arranged to be moved into poistion with said jaws but mounted so'that they may be rotated with respect thereto, means to yieldingly urge said jaws andknives toward the pit of the peach, and an adjustable stop accessible from the exterior of the machine to predetermine the extent of movement of the knives yand jaws toward each Y other.

knives; controlled by the movement, of said jaws relative; to said frame:.

l2. A fruit coring machine, comprisingga stationary' frame, jaws slidably mounted in 'said frame,c0ring knives, saidfjaws and knives being arranged to entera recess inthe flesh ofthe fruit and to respectively hold and cut the core from lthe iesh, a fluidconduit in said j aws. having an: outlet soV arranged that the ilesh ot the fruit will1 'be' separatedy from the core 4after the; operation of the coring lmives by the` flow of lluid, and means to supply fluid to said conduit, said last named means being controlled by thev position of the slidable jaws with respect to the frame. i

13; A fruit corin'g machine comprising 'a rotatableeoring head, corifng knives carried by said/head, means vto rotate saidheadpa gauge reciprocable axially of said head, meansgto reciprocate said gauge, and aV fluid conduit vin said reciprocable, means to supply fluid iin-.a d-i-rrectionpaxiall-yfof the head to eject j the core after itv hasibeenf severed by said @lives` 1.." f; 1.4. A fruit, pittingmachine comprising twospacedl elementsv designed;l tofV forml a` groove in thezlesh. of thefruit, said elements being spaced apart to provide a path of normally predetermined width between `theni Afor they substantially intact pitd and beingfyieldf j Vfable to provide a widened path when an. en-

lai-gedV pit ist encountered, and readily adjust- -ablefaccessible mea-ns to vary the normal width of said path. i j

j 15;. A` vfruit pitting machine comprising twoy space., groove formingv elements. designed to` form a groovezinthe flesh ofthe fruit, said elements having portionsI normally spaced apart a distance approximating the Vwidth o -f the pit and other portions normally spaced aparta distance approximating the length of the l j )itmeansto support said elements sothat they yield when an abnormal pit is en.` i

countered ina manner so that` the groove forming elements are maintained in substan-v tial Yparallelisin,V and readily accessible means tof'vary the normal spacing of said elements.

'16,r A- peach pittinggrnachine comprising a` frame, a` pitting head carrying pitting knives slid-able therein, means to'ihold the peach during the operation of the pitting knives, means. torotate `the pitting head,

means to operate said holding means, `and mechanism carried by said holding means to determine the path of movement of the knives'l in said pitting head `comprising a pair of cams, movable toward and .from each other and connected together by members that cause the cams to maintain a definite relation to eachother and to the pitting knives in all positions thereof.

17. A fruit pitter including fruit holding means and mechanism to cause said holding means to alternately engage and be disengaged from the fruit, comprising a toggle lio constituting a pair of links designed to be in substantial alignment when said holding means is in opera-tive position and'out of alignment when said means is in inoperative position whereby the holding means tends to remain in itsoperative position. j 18. A fruit pitter including ruitholding means, a coring knife, means movable with said holding means to determine the path of 10 movement of said knife, and mechanism including a toggle comprising a pair of links arranged to extend substantially in alignment when said rst named means are in operative position and to be out of alignment to permit separation of said means and elements to control the position of said links.

19. A peach pitting machine comprising a pair of holding j aws, a pitting head, knives in said head slidabletoward and away from 2o the axis of said head, means to rotate said head, a pair of knife guides movable as a unit with said jaws, means connected to said knives and movably mounted in said guides, and mechanism to simultaneously move said z5 jaws and guides' into operative position, said mechanism comprising two pairs of links constituting toggles, an element to Couple said toggles together` for simultaneous movement in opposite directions and means to operate said element in timed relation to said knives 20. A peach pitting machine including means to guide the peach to a pit removing station and to form a recess inthe iiesh of the peach, a movable gauge to determine the position' of the peach at said station, fruit holding jaws, pitting knives to remove'afcore including thepit from the liesh of the peach, means to automatically and in timed relation move said holding jaws into operative posi- 40 tion and to then cause said knives to remove said core, and readily accessible adjusting means to adjust said guiding means, said gauge, said holding jaws and said knives.

2l. A peach pitting machine including means to form cuts in the lesh of the fruit,

a pair of jaws, a pair of pitting knives arranged to enter the cut in the flesh of the fruit,` means to cause said jaws and knives to approach and recede from each other, and au guide plates forming a- Ycontinuation of the first said means and housing said jaws and knives when they are in their retracted position.

In testimony whereoil I afiX my signature.

ARTHUR L. DUNCAN. 

